Kuki and the Beast
by imasmurf93
Summary: Another movie theme, this time, it's beauty and the Beast. Following up a request
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: ****Thanks to Farah for requesting this, I know this is nothing like the story at the moment but hey, it's just the intro.**

Kuki burst through the treehouse door in tears.

The kids all ran to her side, trying to calm her down.

"It's ok girl, come on, sit down and Numbuh 5 will get you a good old cocoa." Abby said, sitting Kuki down on the sofa and then rushing into the kitchen.

"Numbuh 3, where have you been, it's 3:54 and we agreed to meet at 12!" The stout Numbuh 2 said to her.

"No questions until she's calmed down Numbuh 2" The bald boy said to him.

Numbuh 4 said nothing, he just sat at arms length away from Kuki and looked at her, his arms folded, his face in a less than worried, not none the less caring look.

Abby came back in and gave Kuki the cocoa, then she sat down next to her with an arm over her shoulder.

"Dad said that we have to move back to Japan!" Kuki said through sobs and then burst into tears again resting her head on Abby's shoulder.

All four children exchanged shocked glances then looked back at Kuki sympathetically.

None of them said anything but they were all thinking the same thing:

_As if her life weren't bad enough, her mother died a week ago. Her father had lost his job, and now he was forcing her to move back to Japan, her home land which she really hated._

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The day Kuki moved was hard.

They all stood outside Kuki's house while Mr. Sanban had packed their belongings into the taxi that had arrived. He and Mushi had got into it and were just waiting for Kuki.

"Goodbye Numbuh 3, we hope to see you soon." Numbuh 1 said, giving her a small hug and pat on the shoulder, then moving down for the rest of the team to say their farewells.

"Hey, it's only 11:00am, you don't have to be there till 1:00, and it takes one hour and 32 minutes to get to the airport." Hoagie whined. "Can't you quickly come for a chilidog with us?"

"I wish I could Hoagie," Kuki said, hugging him. He sniffled and then moved along.

Then came Kuki's best friend.

"Don't be a stranger girl." Abby said, pulling her into a tight hug. "And behave yourself, you hear me? Don't make me come over there!"

Kuki laughed and hugged her back. Then prepared herself for the hardest goodbye that was coming her way.

"So, that's it? You're leavin' us" The short, blonde Aussie said, hands shoved into his pockets, kicking his foot around and refusing to make eye contact.

Kuki stayed silent, she closed her eyes and sighed holding back tears.

"We'll miss ya'" she heard him say to her, she opened her eyes and looked at him.

His face was in-between a small smile and a frown.

"Kuki-Chan!" she heard her father say, she looked over at him, he looked angry.

She whimpered, then turned back to Wally and pulled him into a hug bear hug. She was pretty surprised when she felt him hug back.

"KUKI-CHAN!" Her father was getting really annoyed annoyed now.

She sighed and pulled away from Wally, she wiped her tears with here sleeve and waved goodbye to all of her friends as she stepped into the taxi.

Through the back window, she saw most of them walk away as she drove off. But the small boy stood in the middle of the road. Hands back in his pockets. His gaze following the cab.

Once again, she sighed, closed her eyes and leant her head against the window.

Wishing that she weren't on her way back.

Wishing that they didn't have to say goodbye.


	2. Chapter 2

_I can't believe it!_ Kuki thought, looking out of the window. _I'm home_

She stepped off the plane and looked around. Then she smiled.

"I cannot believe it Kuki-Chan. I take you back home to Japan, and you no like it! You unhappy for months until I bring you back here!" Kani said as he also stepped off the plane, not half as pleased as Kuki was.

"It's just so great to be back papa. You know I didn't belong in Japan. I belong here with my friends."

"Well not _all _of us do Kuki!" A loudmouth brat walked by her father.

"Mushi, you're happy wherever you go, think of someone else for change, anyway, you'll se Sandy again."

Mushi just glared back at her.

"Ok, first off, I _do _think of others. Second, I am _soo _over Sandy. And third, you only wanted to come back to be with your _boyfriend._"

Kuki suddenly went red, she saw her dad looking at her from the corner of her eye.

"Who is your boyfriend Kuki-Chan?"

"I don't have a boyfriend papa," Kuki said calmly.

"Is it that Ace boy? He's a handsome fellow." Kani said, thinking hard.

"He's handsome alright." Kuki sighed, "And rude, and conceited and…Papa, he's not for me"

"But he's HOT!" Mushi screamed, forgetting her whole intention of trying to embarrass Kuki with her real crush.

Kuki rolled her eyes, she was happy that she was home, but she'd forgotten about the downsides to it such as The Kid.

They sat in the taxi and drove towards their old house. It had been abandoned for the few months that Kuki and her family had been gone, now it was there and waiting for her.

When she had got back to her house and helped her father unload the taxi, she ran down towards the treehouse to see her friends, who she had missed so much.

She stopped in her tracks, the treehouse wasn't as cheerful looking as she had remembered.

It was dark and dull. The wood was rotted and had moss growing from it. Nigel's house was abandoned and looked so lonely.

It freaked Kuki out to see her second home like this, she paced backwards for a few steps before running home.

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A few days had gone by and Kuki was feeling more miserable than she did in Japan, she hadn't seen any of her old friends: Nigel, Hoagie, Abby or Wally.

Unfortunately, she had seen others.

She walked down the street with a rainbow monkey in her arms, her father had asked her to get her some chocolate sauce from the till.

"Hello Kuki" A voice said behind her.

She rolled eyes and turned around, painting a polite smile on her face.

"Hi Ace." He looked at what she had in her arms and took the monkey from her.

"Ace can I have my rainbow monkey back please?" She said, an annoyed tone emerging.

"How can you play with this. It doesn't do anything."

"Well some people use their imagination."

"Kuki, It's time you got your head out of those rainbow monkey clouds and down into more important things." The threw the monkey up in the air, Kuki just about caught it and glared up at him.

"Like me." He said with a what was supposed to be cute smirk.

Behind her, she heard sighs of lust. She turned around to see her sister, Mushi, with Lizzie, Nigel's ex and the most annoying girl on the planet and Cree, Abby's sister, and the KND enemy.

_What did these girls see in him?_

Ignoring them, she stood up and started to carry on home, but was blocked in her tracks by an also all too familiar boy.

_Sandy, he'd now turned into Ace's groveling sidekick_

"Why don't you come over to mine for while and take a look at my trophies or something?" Ace said.

"That's very nice of you but I'd better go home." Once again, Kuki managed another smile.

Behind her once again, she heard the girls conversing.

"What's wrong with her?" Mushi whispered,

"She's crazy," Lizzie agreed.

"He's gorgeous" Cree said, still entranced with Ace, luring the girls back into their daydreams.

"I've got a soccer match later if you want to come watch. Come on, we didn't really get to hang around before you left and I want to make up for it"

"No, I've got to help Papa." Kuki said, pushing past and walking away.

Sandy burst into laughter, finally speaking

"That crazy old Loon's still going? He needs all the help he can get."

Ace and Sandy began to chuckle.

Kuki stood still and turned and looked him in the eye.

"Don't talk about my dad that way!" She yelled, Ace suddenly frowning at Sandy.

"Yeah, don't talk about her dad that way!" Ace scolded Sandy, thumping him on the head.

The three girls behind him giggled, he turned around and winked at them.

"My Dad's not crazy, He's just troubled at the moment." Kuki said, turning round, and storming off, ignoring Ace's calls and apologies.

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She got home to find her father sitting at the dining room table.

"Hello Papa," She said softly, giving him a kiss.

She gave him the chocolate sauce he asked for and he gave a weak smile.

"I was going to make you girls a banana split, but will you absolutely hate me if I give it a miss?" He asked her.

"Don't be silly Papa, You just focus on getting better. Why don't you go lie down?"

He looked up and then sighed.

"I'd much rather go for a walk Kuki-Chan." He slowly stood up. He gave her a hug and a kiss on the forehead then pottered out of the house.

Kuki watched him walk out, then when he was out of sight, she sat at the dining room table and sobbed.

_Her father wasn't crazy. He was just in denial. He would get better. Oh where were her friends when she needed them?_

Then there was a knock at the door.

_Was her father home already?_

She looked through the peephole and saw Ace standing there. Knowing that he would only keep knocking on the door if she ignored, she answered.

"Ace?" She said acting amazed. "What a surprise."

"Isn't it though, but I'm just full of surprises." Ace said, barging his way past Kuki and into the living room.

"You know Kuki, there isn't a girl in town who wouldn't love to be in your shoes right now. This is the day…"

He stopped midsentence to check his hair in the mirror that he just walked past.

"This is the day that all your dreams will come true." He turned to face her.

"What do you know about my dreams?" Kuki giggled almost harshly.

"Plenty!" He said, lying on her sofa with his feet on the am of it.

"Picture this" He started, hands in front of him, as if he were telling some enchanted story. "Walking down the moonlit beach. Sand in my toes, hand in hand with my beautiful girlfriend. And do you know who that beautiful girlfriend would be?"

"Let me think" Kuki said, already knowing the answer.

"You Kuki!" He said, rising from the sofa and walking towards her.

"A…Ace, I'm speechless." She said, leaning against the door as he came towards her.

"I really don't know what to say." She tried to find the doorhandle, as he put his arms around her body and put all of his weight on the door.

"Say you'll go out with me." He said, leaning in for a kiss.

"I'm sorry Ace but, I just don't deserve you." She said, opening the door and moving out of the way as he fell out.


	3. Chapter 3

It had been four hours since Kani went out, Kuki was getting worried. It was now dark. Mushi had come home and Kuki had to make her dinner.

"Mushi, stay here, I'm going looking for Papa, he's been gone for too long." Kuki said, putting on her pink coat and walking out of the door.

She was walking around the block, calling him.

"Papa? Papa!" She noticed his glasses outside what used to be KND treehouse, she picked them up and figured _he must be ok_,

She knocked on the door, there was no answer but the door swung open.

She stepped inside, the cold draught sending chills down her neck.

The inside of the treehouse was just as dark and scary as the outside. The walls were tattered and dull. The only new looking objects in sight were a small alarm clock and red and black candle.

_What happened here?_

She spun around, sure that she heard a familiar voice.

She convinced herself that it was just her mind playing tricks on her.

"Papa!" She called out, _The quicker she found him, the sooner she could get out_.

"Kuki?" She heard a voice reply. "Kuki-Chan, Is that you?"

"PAPA!" She yelled following his voice.

She found him in the KND villain cells.

She knelt down next to him and held onto his hand.

"You're hands are like ice." She whispered, Looking around for the KND skeleton cell key. _It used to be around here somewhere_.

She couldn't find it. Giving up, she ran back to him and held onto his hand again.

"Kuki-Chan, I come here to find your friends and I get put in here!"

"I'm sorry, my friends wouldn't do this, don't worry Papa, I'll get you out."

"What are you doing in here!?!" A strong, Husky voice said as her arm as grabbed and she was pulled and turned to face the voice.

All she could see in front of her was a huge, black shadow, it scared her.

"Who's there? Who are you?" Kuki said, Looking in the direction of the shadow.

"The reason of this treehouse's downfall." The figure said.

"I've come for my father, please, can't you see he's not well?" Kuki said, kneeling back down next to her father.

"Well he shouldn't have trespassed here!"

"Please, I don't know how ill he is, he may be dying. P…please, I'll do anything!"

The figure thought for a second and sighed.

"There's nothing you can do."

It started to walk away.

"Wait!" She yelled. "Take me instead"

"You!" It said harshly, "You will…take his place?"

"Kuki-Chan, No, You don't…" Kuki didn't listen to her father. She had to get him out.

"If I did, would you let him go?"

"Yes," The figure softly whispered. "But, you have to promise to stay here forever!"

Kuki thought, ignoring her father forbidding her to do it.

"Come into the light" She wanted to see the face of what would be her master from now on.

Nothing would have prepared her for what she saw.

The figure stepped into the one ray of sun in the room. He was tall and scruffy. brown fur covered the whole of his face and body. Instead of a nose, he had a snout, like a dog or wolves. He wore nothing but blue rags on his legs and a huge orange cape.

Kuki gasped and stepped back in horror. She then turned and held her father's hand close.

"Kuki-Chan, I won't let you do this, It is against family tradition to live…" Kuki still ignored her fathers lecture.

She stood up and walked until face to face with the figure.

"You have my word"

"Done," He said, going to the cell, taking out a key from his pocket, dragging Kani out and shoving him into a small vehicle.

"Take him back to his house!" he ordered it, it obeyed and walked off towards the dirction of what used to be Kuki's home.

Kuki knelt in the middle of the room, sobbing.

"You didn't let me say goodbye, I'll never see him again, I didn't get to say goodbye!" She wept into her hands.

"I'll show you to your room." He said, ignoring what she had just said.

She looked up, in curiosity.

"My room?"

"Do you want to stay in this cell?"

"No"

"Then follow me"

_The figure seemed familiar to her, like a very good friend she knew. No, she hadn't seen him in ages, he wouldn't treat anyone like this, Especially her._

They both walked in silence, Kuki followed him down the hall, the only light was a candle that…he (whatever he was) was holding.

She glanced around as he led her down the corridor, it looked so much different to how it used to, the rotted wood was visible under loads of claw marks in the paint on the walls.

Scary figures, statues and shadows surrounded her. Although she felt scared, she also felt strangely safe with _him _only a few steps away.

Tears were running down her face as she walked, her eyes looking down at her feet, then she was sure that she heard a familiar voice.

"Say something to her!" Whatever it was had an English accent, but once again, she put it down to her imagination.

"I…Hope you like it here." He said, almost politely.

_Was he kidding?_

"This treehouse is your home now so you can go anywhere you like, except for this room."

He pointed in what she thought used to be Numbuh 4's bedroom.

"What's in tha…" Kuki was interrupted when he sternly told her.

"It's Forbidden!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's note:**** I know I missed out the be our guest part, but I really couldn't see that happening, I'm finding it hard to write this and put it so that Kuki doesn't know her best friends when she sees them, lol.**

He showed her to the room and opened the door.

"If you need anything someone will attend to you." He said, stepping aside so that she could walk in.

She looked around, and was amazed. This used to be her room. It was almost exactly the same as she remembered it, only a bit more dull and tattered.

"Dinner, invite her to dinner." She heard the familiar English accent whisper.

"You will join me for dinner, THAT'S NOT A REQUEST!" He yelled and slammed the door.

She jumped, and ran to her bed, she leapt on the bed and buried her head in her hands and burst into tears.

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"Who does she think, she is? That girl has tangled with the wrong guy. No-one says no to The Kid." Ace said, sulking in his local youth club.

"Yeah, darn right!" Sandy agreed, giving Ace a soda and going to drink it.

"Dismissed, rejected, publicly humiliated, why it's more than I can bear!" He took both of their sodas and threw them into the fire he was facing.

"More soda?"

"What for? nothing helps, I'm disgraced."

"Who You? never, Ace, you've got to pull yourself together! Remember when I tried to marry Kuki at rainbow monkey land, I used force, I threatened to dip rainbow monkeys in hot nacho sauce. She's pretty easy to get around once you know which strings to pull."

A huge smile appeared on Ace's face.

"Hmm, remember you said that her dad was wacky?"

Sandy nodded. "yeah, he's suffering from depression, his minds all over the place."

"Well, She'd do anything for her father. I've got a plan."

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Kuki was sitting on her bed, looking around the room, reminding herself of the memories and tattered pictures that were on the wall when she heard a knock on the door.

She got up and opened the door but saw no one out there.

"I thought you might like a cocoa," She heard a voice say. She looked down and saw a teapot and three cups hopping into the room.

"You're…You're a…" She sat on the bed, amazed at what she was seeing.

"Told ya she was here didn't I" One large cup said to the teapot.

"Ok what do you want? A blue peter badge, go on now and don't spill again." The teapot said, rather snappily.

"Thank you," Kuki said, picking up the cup and carefully sipping.

"That was a real brave thing you did back then. We all think so."

"But, I've lost my dad, my dreams, my friends everything." Kuki whispered.

"Cheer up girl, It'll turn out ok, you could find that you're friends are closer than you think."

Kuki looked at the teapot,

"Do I know you from somewhere?"

"Oh, listen to me yakking on, when there work to be done in the kitchen. Come on guys." The teapot changed the subject and started to hop out.

"You'd better get ready, dinner will be soon" She said, peeping through the door.

The teapot hopped back into the room and looked at the clothes in her open wardrobe.

"Hey, you'd look great in this one" She pointed at a beautiful pink dress.

"Oh, that's very kind of you but, I'm not going."

They heard a clearing of the throat at the door. They both turned to see a round clock in the door.

"Dinner is served" It smiled.

The teapot looked at Kuki and then hopped out.

"The guest has a message for you to give to the master." It said to the clock as it went past.

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In the living room the giant creature was pacing the room like a caged lion.

A candlestick was standing on the top of the sofa watching him.

"What's taking her so long? I told her to come down to dinner. Why isn't she here yet?"

"You must learn to be patient Numbuh 4, she's lost her father and freedom all in one day." The candlestick answered.

The creature just sighed.

"Why won't you just tell her, she's our best friend, she'll understand." The candlestick said sternly.

"Because, I can't let her know, she can't see me like this and know it's me, you…you just don't understand."

They were both interrupted by the clock and teapot walking in.

"Umm, Numbuh 4, slight problem, she's not coming" The clock said

He sighed,

"I got my hopes up. Course she wouldn't want to have dinner with someone like me. She's so beautiful and I'm, Well Look at me!"

They all sighed.

"You've gotta help her to see past all that. To show her the guy, she's always known."

Numbuh 4 just sighed..

"Numbuh 1? Will you hang around by her door, see if she changes her mind?"

The candlestick nodded and hopped off.. Numbuh 4 went walking around to calm down.

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Kuki opened her door and started walking out of the room.

Behind her, she heard two voices, but just chose to ignore them.

She was walking around, looking at what used to be her favorite hang out place.

_What happened here, and why was that…beast lining here._

She had to know why she wasn't allowed in Wally's room. She took a breath, looked around and walked inside.

It hadn't changed much. Like her room, it was tattered and weathered.

What amazed her was a small picture she saw on the wall. A picture drawn of her with pink hearts around it. Pictures of all five of the KND, all together and looking so happy. Next to them, there was a picture of her and Wally. Wally's face had been ripped, It looked like a claw mark where it had been scratched at.

She carried on looking around. Then she saw a glowing rose on the side table. It was floating. It was covered by a single glass case.

She walked over to it and lifted the glass case. Then she lifted a finger to touch it, but was suddenly stopped by the fright of the creature running towards her. He grabbed the glass from her and hastily put it back over the rose. He then tuned to glare at her growling as their eyes met.

"Why did you come here?"

"I'm Sorry I…"

"I warned you never to come here."

"I didn't mean any harm"

"Do you realize what you could have done?" She shouted, throwing a nearby chair against the wall and throwing anything close to him.

"Get Out!" He shrieked, "GET OUUUUT!"

Kuki ran as fast as she could. She ran past the three items, the Clock, the candlestick and the Teapot.

"Where are you going?" The candlestick asked.

"Promise or not promise, I can't stay here another minute,"

"No wait, please wait"

"I'm sorry" She said, running out of the door.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's note: ****I've just realized, I use a balcony scene on almost every story I do, What can I say? I love balconies. Just so that everyone knows, I'm not totally sad that I know he whole script by heart (Even though I probably do), I had the DVD on while typing this up.**

**And a note to Farah, I'm sorry I didn't add Tommy or Rachel in like you requested, I'll try and put them in slightly.**

She ran as fast as she could down the lane. Then she was stopped by the many bullies of the street.

"Ace wants a word with you." The tallest one said. And they grabbed her by her arms, trying to pull her.

She screamed and tried to pull away, but they were all too strong for her.

Then, a large, furry hand grabbed onto the tallest bully, holding him into the air (He was twice the bully's size). He looked the Bully in the eye and roared at him, showing his teeth and anger.

The Bully screamed in fright and the other three ran to his defence.

He was there, wrestling with the four bullies for half an hour, until the bullies ran off.

Kuki went to run home. Then looked at the beast, who was only half conscious, he looked at her and then collapsed.

_He saved her, she had to repay the debt._

She managed to drag him back to the treehouse and get help from it's habitants to revive his consciousness.

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A few hours later, him sitting in an armchair by the fire and Kuki kneeling next to him, tending to one of the wounds that the bullies made by scratching and biting him.

She had a small hand towel and was bathing it in hot salty water.

Picking it up she turned to him

"Here," She said, he was licking his arm, which she was attempting to attend to.

"Don't do that," she said softly. He pulled his arm away and growled at her.

"Hold Still," she still remained calm as she struggled to place it on his arm.

She succeeded and the he roared in pain.

He pulled his arm away and yelled in her face.

"That hurts!"

"Well if you held still, it wouldn't hurt as much." Kuki lost her temper with him.

"If you hadn't have run away, this wouldn't have happened."

"Well if you hadn't have frightened me I wouldn't have run away!"

"Well I told you not to go in that room!"

"Well you should learn to control your temper."

They both remained silent, glaring each other in the eyes.

Then Kuki noticed something.

"W…Wally?"

His eyes widened.

"Is that really you?" She smiled excitedly and gave him a gentle hug.

She then turned around.

"Abby?" The teapot grinned at her.

"Nigel?" A wink from the candlestick.

"Hoagie!" The clock just waved.

"GUYS!" She said and they all crowded around her and Wally.

Smiling, she turned her attention back to Wally's arm.

"Hold still, this might sting a little." She said, placing the towel on his arm.

He grunted slightly but didn't pull away.

"By the way. Thank you."

He looked at her.

"Your welcome"

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The next day was much more laid back, and more or less just like the old days.

Kuki was walk around the back garden with Abby hopping next to her.

Wally stood on the balcony with Nigel and Hoagie watching her as she sat on the bench happily talking and laughing with Abby.

"I've never felt this way about anyone." He said

"Did you ever think she was the one who could break the spell?" Numbuh 1 said.

"Of course I have, but, even I don't know _how _she could. And I could never ask her, not after the way I treated her yesterday."

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It was about 5:00, they were all preparing for dinner.

Wally was talking to Nigel while waiting for Kuki.

"Ready?" Nigel asked him.

"I'm not sure I can do this Numbuh 1,"

"Well we haven't got time for any going back now. You must be bold, daring."

"Bold, daring," Wally copied him, trying to gain confidence.

"They'll be music, romantic candlelight, provided by myself. And when the moment is right, you confess your love."

"I con…con…No, I can't"

"You care for Kuki don't you?" Nigel asked casually.

"Yeah, more than anything, but, you saw the way I treated her, and you can see the way I look."

"Just be yourself Wally, Kuki is Kuki, She won't judge you for what you look like. She knows you."

Wally's mouth dropped when he saw Kuki coming down the corridor.

She was wearing the dress that she wore in operation D.A.T.E, The pink dress with a blue bow around the end.

Her hair was half up, the hair that was hanging had been curled, and she had blue glitter on her eyelids.

"Wow," He whispered as she came to him.

She giggled and took his arm as they walked to the dining table, which had been set up in the living room.

They sat and ate fairly silently, both grinning wildly.

After a small amount of dancing, Wally got embarrassed with Nigel and Hoagie watching. He took Kuki by the hand and took her out on the balcony.

"What happened to this place Wally," She asked him.

Wally sighed deeply and began to tell her.

"It wasn't long after you left. Numbuh 86 came to the treehouse to check up on us. I was in a real bad mood at the time and said a few things to her that she obviously didn't find to flattering. Well, she came over the next day and gave me this weird glowing rose, she told me all this crud about how it could be broken and if the rose petal falls then I stay liken this forever. I didn't really understand it."

Kuki thought for a moment.

"Then what about, Abby, Nigel, Hoagie?"

"Well, she said it was whoever was in the treehouse at the time, unfortunately, we were having a KND party at the time."

"Wow," Kuki said and sat looking at her hands.

"Kuki?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you…happy here with us, with me?"

"Yes." She said, then looking longingly out towards the direction of her house.

"What's wrong?"

"If only I could see my dad, just for a minute, I've been so worried about him."

Wally sat and thought, he looked at Kuki, he hated to see her so sad.

"There is a way." He stood up, pulling her hand to follow him.


	6. Chapter 6

He took her to his room and bought her to the table which the rose was resting on.

Next to the rose, sat a mirror. It was fairly small, a handheld type, blue.

He picked it up and handed it to her.

"When we were change like this, I was given the rose, and this mirror. The mirror was my only window to the outside world. Just tell it wherever you would like to go."

Kuki looked at her reflection.

"I'd like to see my father…Please"

The mirror glowed in her eyes so bright, she had to close them tightly.

Her reflection disappeared and an image of her father sitting at his desk at home took its place.

He was leant over, coughing and hyperventilating.

"Papa, no" She whispered. "He's not well, he could be dying! It's the depression, he was refusing to eat, sleep or anything last time I saw him. He's got so thin."

Wally looked at her sad face and then turned around, placing a claw on the glass case concealing the rose.

"Then…You must go to have to go to him." He said.

"What?"

"I'm releasing you from here. You have to go and help him."

"Oh Wally, thank you, thank you so much." She said, smiling and hugging him.

She went to walk away, then realized that she still had the mirror him her hands.

She turned around and went to hand it to him, but he pushed it back in her direction.

"No, you can keep it, then you'll always have a way to look back, and remember me." He said, lifting a few strands on her hair.

"Thank you for understanding how much he needs me." She said, clutching the mirror as if it were a treasured memory.

With that she placed a hand on his furry cheek, and walked out, passing Hoagie, but saying nothing.

As she exited the room, Hoagie knocked on the door.

"What a great night, I knew you had it in you Numbuh 4!" He said, leaning against the door.

"I let her go." Wally said sorrowfully.

"Yes you di…You…You did what? But…?"

"I had to,"

Hoagie sighed, "But why??"

"Because…I love her."

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Kuki ran home, she heard Wally's roar to warm off any lurking bullies waiting for her.

She ran into her house and rushed up to her father's study, to find him unconscious.

"Papa!"

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Hours went by, Kuki was getting worried, she was sitting, dabbing at the fathers heated head with a damp flannel, yet he still hadn't woken.

Then, he stirred, his eyes flickered as he gained focus.

"Kuki-Chan?" He said wearily.

"It's ok Papa, I'm home."

"You broke the family tradition Kuki-Chan!" He said, gaining strength and sitting up.

"I'm sorry Papa, I missed you so much." She said pulling him into a hug.

"I don't know what you see in those horrible friends of yours." He said sternly.

"They'd all changed a lot, but I think they're back now, in a way."

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She walked up to her room. Her father was back to his old self again.

She sat on her bed and started to empty her bag of memories from her room: A few photos that were on her wall and the mirror, only to feel something moving around in it.

She screamed, thinking it was a mouse or something.

Out came a small cup.

"Hi."

"Tommy? You're stuck in this spell as well."

The cup nodded slightly, well, made a motion similar to nodding.

"I don't get why I have to be a cup!"

Kuki giggled and thought.

"Hoagie's a clock because of his time obsession. Abby's always making cocoa so she's a cup. Nigel must be a candle because if his shiny head. Wally a beast because of his temper, I'm not sure about you."

"Kuki, Why did you leave us again? Don't you like us anymore?"

"Oh Tommy, Of course I do, it's just…" She was interrupted by a knock on the door.

She got up and answered it. Standing at the door was an old, grumpy looking man.

"Can I help you?" She said politely.

"I've come to collect your father" He said in a monotone, grim voice.

"My father?"

"Don't worry miss Sanban, we'll take good care of him."

He stepped aside to show a large van, on the side, it read _mental institution._

Kuki gasped.

"My father's not crazy!"

Sandy jumped in.

"Who else who was sane wouldn't let kids play anywhere near the house! We were all there, he called the police on us for playing out here."

Kids had gathered to see what the commotion was about. Some nodded and mumbled in agreement.

Some tall men pushed Kuki out of the way and brought out her father.

All he was doing was scolding them for being so rude.

They carried on shoving Kani into the van.

"No!" Kuki yelled.

"Poor Numbuh 3, It's a shame about your father" Ace said, walking behind her.

"You know he's not crazy, right Ace?" Kuki said, gripping onto his shoulder.

Ace looked thoughtful for a moment.

"I could try and fix this little misunderstanding. If…"

"If what?" Kuki asked.

"If you go out with me.!"

"What?"

"One little word Kuki, that's all it takes."

"No"

"Have it your way" He grinned, walking away.

A loud commotion aroused, pushing and shoving, Kuki ran towards the van and then got pulled away, she screamed.

A roar could be heard from down the road, it silenced everyone.

"Wally!" She smiled, he must have heard the shouting and sensed her distress.

"That's that beast that lives in the treehouse! It attacked us didn't it Bryce?" One of the bullies said pushing through the crowd. Bryce nodded.

"A beast?" Ace said, "What a load of Bull!"

"He's not a beast!" Kuki shrieked.

Ace stopped laughing and moved towards her.

"It's starting to sound like the madness runs in the family. Don't play stupid games Kuki, there's nobody living in there."

Kuki ran inside and came out with the mirror.

"Neither of us are crazy! There's someone in there and I can prove it."

She held the mirror to her face.

"Show me the beast!"


	7. Chapter 7

She turned the mirror towards the crowd. They all gasped and shrieked.

"Is it dangerous?" Cree pushed though.

"No, no, he'd never hurt anyone. Please, I know he looks vicious but he's really kind and gentle and…he's one of my best friends."

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you had feelings for this monster." Ace said, turning her to face him.

"He's not the monster here Ace, you are!" Kuki said, pulling away, everyone gasped, some girls shouted in disagreement.

"She's as crazy as her dad!" Ace said, prying the mirror from her hands.

"The beast will make off with your little brothers and sisters!" Everyone gasped in horror.

"He goes after children like us in the night"

"No" Kuki yelled.

"We're not safe until his head is mounted on a wall somewhere!"

People yelled in agreement.

"I say we _Kill _the beast, Who's with me?"

"I am!" Cree yelled, the teen ninjas behind her, nodding.

"I am!" Lizzie pushed through. Meeting with Chad and the delightful children from down the lane.

"Me too!" Mushi said, walking towards them. Everybody looked at her.

"It took my sister when Papa most needed her." She said.

"Mushi that's not true!" Kuki yelled running towards her.

Mushi didn't make eye contact; she just joined and merged in with the rest of the mob.

Kuki turned back to Ace and grabbed onto his arm.

"No, I won't let you do this."

"If you're not with us, you're against us!" Ace said, shoving her into the van.

"Sorry babe, we can't have you running off to warn this creature. It isn't _that_ personal!"

Kuki heard them shouting, screaming and running around. Then the noise that they were making went down the street.

She banged hard on the door, attempting to get out.

"I have to warn Wally, this is all my fault, I shouldn't have shown them."

"Kuki-Chan, I forbid you play with those friends of yours again, they are disruptive and rude and noisy!"

"I've got to think of something!" Kuki said to herself, ignoring her dad's lecture.

Outside, Tommy had come out to try and help Kuki, he was looking around frantically for something to help them get out.

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Back at the treehouse, some of the objects were talking.

"I knew it, I knew it! It was so stupid of us to get our hopes up!" Hoagie said.

"Perhaps it would be better if she'd never came back at all!" The candle said.

"Nigel! That's horrible!" A feather duster said, whacking him with one of her feathers.

"I'm sorry Rachel but, that's just my view." He said, sticking his wax nose into the air.

"Wait!" Abby said, "I can hear people, a _lot _of people."

They all ran to the window. Outside, they saw he angry mob coming towards the treehouse.

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"Take out anyone you can find, but just remember, THE BEAST IS MINE!" Ace ordered the mob as they all banged onto the door, attempting to knock it down.

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"Numbuh 4, we need your help, the treehouse is under attack!" Abby said, standing at Wally's door.

Wally was standing over the rose, his hands on the glass container, his eyes still focused on the rose.

"It doesn't matter now Numbuh 5, just let them come."

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All of the present objects were leaning against the wooden door. Trying to stop it from being knocked down.

"This isn't working!" Numbuh 1 said.

"Nigel, we have to do something!" Rachel said.

Nigel thought for a moment.

"Kids next door, BATTLESTATIONS!"

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The doors swung open. The mob of children and teens walked slowly into the treehouse, led by Ace.

It was silent and dark. They walked through, seeing only household objects:

A lit candle, A clock, a teapot, a feather duster, some bookcases, and many other things.

Ace guided them further into the treehouse, glancing around.

"Now!" An English voice yelled from somewhere.

Mysteriously, the treehouse objects came to life. The mob found themselves battling with house objects.

Ace managed to dodge the flying mops, charging chairs and boxing coat stands and ran through the corridor towards where numbuh 4's room used to be.

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The door of the van suddenly unlocked.

Kuki pushed it open and saw Tommy hanging from the lock.

"A trick Numbuh 4 taught me when I was like, six." He giggled, hopping onto Kuki's hand.

"Come on Tommy," Kuki said. "We've got a mission to attend."

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Hot water was being poured onto Chad.

Cree was being bombarded by large books.

Lizzie was being soaked by a live water pistol.

Nigel was pressed as hard against the wall as he could.

Sandy was holding a large flame at him. Melting him.

Hoagie looked around for a way to help him and then smiled.

The clock ran into the kitchen and came running back out with a pair of scissors.

He ran towards the boys behind, the scissors at arms length, holding it like a sword.

Sandy jumped into the air dramatically holding his buttocks.

Nigel nodded at the clock and received the same gesture, they both then got back to battle.

The feather duster was being plucked by a Teen ninja, she screamed in pain as the teen did so.

Nigel ran to the teen, increasing the size and heat of his flame.

The teen threw her into the air and ran from the flame.

Nigel lifted his arms and caught Rachel in his arms, she gave him a look of gratitude, spun around to check nobody was looking and then quickly kissed the candle on his cheek.

Nigel blushed, putting her down and then running after the ninja.

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Kuki ran up towards the treehouse, having many terrified teens and kids running past her the opposite way.

The mob had backed down.

All of the objects cheered and mocked the cowardly mob as they ran back to the safety of their homes and parents.

Ace was nowhere to be found in that mob, he was still in there, and so was Wally.

She had to find them both, and fast.

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The door opened slowly.

Wally looked at it, to see Ace standing there, he looked Ace in the eye and then turned away sadly.

Ace looked around the room, glancing at the many pictures of Kuki and the KND, he picked up a glass on the table and threw it at him.

Wally grunted in pain but didn't react and fight back as he usually would.

Ace pushed him out of his window and onto the balcony.

He walked up to him, kicking him in the side. Causing him to fall onto the edge of the roof.

"What's the matter Beast?" Ace said, jumping off from the balcony and slowly moving towards Wally.

"To kind and gentle to fight back?"

Ace walked towards a piece of loose wood and pulled it from the rest of the building and stood over Wally, the wood high above his head, ready to hit him hard with it.

Wally just lay there, not caring about his life, not caring about his pain.

"Wally!" He heard Kuki yell, he looked down on the ground next to the treehouse and saw her.

"Kuki," He whispered in relief.

The wood came down quickly. Wally looked up and grabbed it, forcing it from Ace's hands.

Kuki ran into the treehouse as fast as she could, to get to Wally's room.

They both wrestled on the roof, trying not to loose balance and fall.

Wally pushed Ace from him and stood still, they both stood and glared at each other.

"Did you love her Beast?" Ace said, Wally glared at him, listening to what he had to say.

"Did you really think she'd fall for a looser like you, when she could have someone like me?"

Wally lost it, he dived at Ace, picking him up by his neck and holding him over the rooftop.

Ace squirmed frantically in his hand, terrified.

"No, please, don't, I'll do anything, just, just don't drop me."

Wally's anger dropped, he looked at the frightened boy and felt a surge of sympathy for him.

He loosened his grip, placing Ace on the rooftop.

"Get out," He whispered harshly.

"Wally!" Kuki said, appearing on his balcony.

"Kuki" He climbed up towards his balcony, holding out his paw to grab onto her hand.

They touched, hand in paw. They looked at each other and smiled.

Still hanging over the balcony, he placed a paw on her cheek.

"You came back." He said softly.

She held onto his arm and closed her eyes.

Suddenly, Wally roared in pain.

Kuki looked at where his arm shot to.

Ace was behind him, and had swiped a pocket knife from his jacket and stabbed it into Wally's back.

Wally flung his arm around, sending Ace flying over the rooftop and down onto the floor, motionless.

Grabbing Wally as he fell back. Kuki pulled with all of her might to stop him from falling.

She managed to pull him over the balcony and onto it.

The clock, teapot and candle hopped quickly up to Wally's balcony. Stopping at the window and giving the two some privacy.

Kuki lay Wally down, his head in her arms.

He looked up at her weakly and smiled.

"You came back" He whispered weakly.

"Of course I came back, I couldn't leave the first time or the second."

She hugged him lightly.

"This is all my fault." She sobbed. "I shouldn't have told Ace about you and if only I'd gotten here sooner."

"Maybe it's better this way Kuki" He said, looking at her beautiful eyes.

"Don't talk like that, you'll be alright. We're together now, everything's going to be fine, you'll see." She said, sitting over him, stroking the fur on his face.

He put his paw on her face. "At least I got to see you, one last time."

He exhaled in pain and his hand dropped.

Kuki gasped in horror. Tears falling freely down her face.

"No, No, Please…Wally, don't leave me," She whispered.

The three at the window bowed their heads in sorrow, looking up to the rose, as the last petal on it fell.

"I love you," Kuki said as she sobbed into his chest.

Kuki looked back up at the window to see the three looking amazed at her.

She looked around her, raindrops of bright colours were streaming down and settling next to her.

She looked at them curiously, as Wally's body started to lift from under her grip.

His body was upright, it spun around and around. Steam was coming from the ground where the bright colours had landed.

Wally's large build shrunk in size. His fur changed to skin. His paws turned into hands and feet.

The body was placed back onto the ground.

The figure stood up and turned to face Kuki. She gasped in amazement.

It was Wally as she had always knew him.

A blonde bowl cut hairstyle, An orange hoodie, denim baggy jeans and soft, brown eyes.

She smiled and ran towards him. He picked her up and swung her around in a circle. Bringing her down and giving her a soft kiss.

They both broke the kiss and looked around. The treehouse was as she had always remembered it, bright, normal and her friends were once again, normal, happy kids smiling back at her.

Kuki ran to them, hugging each of them and talking about the spell.

"The part that thicko here didn't understand was how to break the spell." Abby said to Kuki.

"The only way was for him to show true love to someone, and for them to show it back."

Kuki smiled, looking back at Wally.

Nigel noticed Rachel in the corridor, mopping up some of the footprints left by Ace and Kuki.

He smiled and started walking towards her, only to be grabbed on the shoulder by Hoagie.

"Well Numbuh 2, Didn't I tell you that Kuki was the one who would break the spell?" Nigel said to his chubby compainion.

"Sorry buddy, but I think I told you" Hoagie chuckled heartily.

"No, I told you" Nigel argued, getting agitated.

"You most definatley didn't you shiney headed pompus!" Hoagie said belly flopping Nigel, pushing him back.

"Oh, shut up you…you…you over grown pocket watch.!"

Kuki just shook her head at the two fighting and watched the now normal children walking out from the treehouse.

"You're not planning on leaving again are ya?" Wally said, coming from behind her and putting his hands around her waist.

She turned her head to face him and placed it on his shoulder.

"No way," She giggled.

At last, everything was back to normal.

"OH Nigel!" Five voices could be heard in unison.

They all looked over the balcony to see the delightfuls in a giant robot (As usual).

Exchanging glances and smiles, they all looked at Nigel, who from his pocket, picked some sunglasses and placed them on.

"Kids Next Door! Battlestations!"

_The End_


End file.
